When Darkness Falls
by LadyAudriana
Summary: Post Campaign. Altered a bit. Fem Mage Hawke. But w/ Bethany instead of Carver. Hawke's first name in this instance is Eheryn pronounced 'Erin' and she is Viscount of Kirkwall.


Eheryn Hawke sat on the edge of her bed in her mansion in High Town and waited for the crippling wave of nausea to pass. When she was able, she stood slowly and asked Bodahn if he would send a message to Varric, Aveline and lastly Fenris asking them to come to the Viscount of Kirkwall as soon as they were able.  
>Some time later Varric arrived, Eheryn greeted him in her office.<br>'So tell me Waffles, what's all this about?' Varric asked in his usual jovial manner.  
>The viscount of Kirkwall spoke so low that Varric could barely hear her.<br>'I'm with child.'  
>'Andraste's knickers! Really?'Eheryn nodded slowly. 'The Elf's?'<br>'Yes, it is Fenris's. Varric what can I do? Can the Viscount of Kirkwall give life to a half elf child, whose father is a former Tevinter Imperium slave! I can imagine it at banquets!' Eheryn laughed manically.  
>Varric gazed round worriedly and breathed a sigh of relief when Bodahn let Aveline into the office.<br>'Ah! Red! You're here.' Varric chimed.  
>'Hawke, what is going on? You've never pulled me out of patrol before.'<br>Hawke gazed sadly at Varric who spoke on her behalf, he half wished she hadn't. It was exactly an easy conversation to have and quick wit would not save him this time.  
>'Err... Hawke is in a delicate situation...' he began but thankfully did not have to continue as Aveline, a mother herself, figured what the dwarf was implying.<br>'Fenris's?' Aveline asked.  
>Hawke nodded and muttered a barely audible, 'yes.'<br>Timing being one of his strong points, Fenris, the tall, slender blond elf arrived.  
>'Elf.' Varric said a greeting.<br>'What is going on Eheryn? Why are we all here?' Fenris spoke slowly looking into his lovers eyes.  
>The Viscount of Kirkwall, for all her battles and fights, kept her eyes fixed firmly on the ground and for a long age did not speak; Varric and Aveline had no desire to tell the broody, bad tempered elf he would be a father.<br>'I'm with child, Fenris. Your child... Our child.' Eheryn spoke slowly.  
>'Imekari...' Fenris whispered. Hawke wasn't sure what her lover had said, Leto, as she called him privately, spoke so many languages and dialects it was impossible to keep track of them all.<br>Eheryn almost forgot they weren't alone and placed her hand on Fenris's lyrium etched forearm, 'Leto, my love. Are you alright?'  
>Fenris brushed her hand off and stood, rising to his full towering height.<br>'I... I am sorry. I cannot be part of this.' He muttered and left her office.  
>Eheryn sunk into her desk chair, she wanted to sob but no tears would come, she knew that Fenris would not handle the news well, but a part of her, however small, hoped and dreamed.<br>'Hawke, listen...' Varric started. 'We will work around this, okay so you might not be able to do some crazy back flips like you used to, but, I'm sure we'll manage.'  
>'He's right, if I can manage Donnic and being Captain of the Guard and children, we'll help you manage Eheryn, even if Fenris won't be a part of it.' Aveline said warmly.<br>'You never know, if you're lucky it won't look part Elf and maybe we could persuade Sebastian to say it's his, maybe we could unite Kirkwall and Starkhaven.' Varric laughed.  
>The Viscount of Kirkwall laughed at that crazy notion, 'Sebastian would never do that! It would go against the Maker or something.' Eheryn sighed, 'I suppose I'll be fine, I have to be. There's no Bethany, Carver or Mother left, I wish I could tell them.'<br>'You could write to Sunshine, I'm sure the Wardens might let her leave for a while.' Varric said lightly.  
>Aveline went to hug Hawke before stopping and just rubbing her arm, could someone actually hug the Viscount of Kirkwall?<br>After they had left, Eheryn decided to pay the Chantry a visit or what was being rebuilt of it and see Sebastian.  
>'Ah! Hawke, to what do I owe this great honour?'<br>'Just a chat Sebastian, that is all. I suppose...' Hawke paused. 'I suppose I need your advice.'  
>'Go on, I'm listening.' The prince of Starkhaven said kindly. There was a warmth and love to Sebastian's word that made Hawke feel settled.<br>'I found out yesterday...' Eheryn started slowly. 'I'm expecting a child, it's Fenris's.'  
>Sebastian did not respond at first, he stared blankly ahead before finally speaking.<br>'How do you feel about it Eheryn?' He asked using her first name.  
>'I don't know Sebastian, Fenris wants nothing to do with me. I have not laid eyes on his person since I told him the 'happy news.''<br>'He will come round Hawke, a little bird told me.' Sebastian leaned forward and kissed Eheryn's cheek, it was the nicest gesture he'd ever done towards her, with that Sebastian Vael walked off towards the foremen constructing the new Chantry.  
>Eheryn turned on her heel and began walking back to the Viscounts Keep, her black Viscounts robe flapping her legs, leaning on her staff to help her aching body moving.<br>'Lady Viscount! Lady Viscount!' Someone yelled behind her.  
>Eheryn Hawke slowly turned around; a young elf ran towards her. 'Quick! We need your help, my brother's being mugged!'<br>'Show me!'  
>Walking as fast as she could manage, Hawke managed to keep up with the young elf girl, waking through the gates of Alienage Eheryn was mildly surprised to hear the gates clank shut behind her.<br>'Fenris was right, it always is an ambush.' Eheryn chided herself gently.  
>A group of five or so hooded and covertly covered figures stepped out in of the shadows of the Elven Alienage.<br>'Hawke.' A male voice said clearly.  
>'You seem to know who I am, so why don't you, out of common courtesy, tell me who you are?'<br>Despite what confidence exterior Hawke demonstrated herself, she was terrified, if she were to engage in combat would it hurt her unborn child she wondered silently.  
>'I know you are the Viscount of Kirkwall, however you are a Felerdan, and you have no claim to it! I also know that you are carrying the child of a former elf slave! Vashedan bitch! Mixing the races like that when you're scum yourself and a Mage!' The man spat hideously.<br>Eheryn Hawke's mouth opened and closed silently, she didn't know what to do or say and this wave of nausea crept over her again.  
>'You will not kill me and get away with this.' She hoped it sounded like a threat. Deciding her situation couldn't get worse Eheryn decided to say, 'What's worse, me being a Fereldan or being a Mage?'<br>'I'll bet you all the coin your scummy arse is sat on, that we will.' The man ignored her sarcastic comment.  
>Eheryn casted <em>Cone of Cold <em>on the floor and stepped back as the pointy ice filled a twelve metre semi-circle around her.  
>They launched towards her, Hawke couldn't cast spells and heal herself at the same time as they were raining blows down on her. She could feel her body lagging and her own blood in her eyes, she contemplated casting <em>Fireball <em>but knew that she'd take the full force, although, she mused, maybe it was better to do that and kill herself and unborn child rather than let these creatures have her.  
>She sunk to her knees, this is it, I'm dying, she thought to herself.<br>The man walked over, 'You're done for this time bitch. Oh, I mean Lady Viscount.' He spat on the floor next go her. 'You and that damn child can sit next to Andraste now.' He lifted his dagger to slit her throat.  
>Eheryn closed her eyes and prayed to the Maker and Andraste, she was not so much bothered about her own life, rather that of hers and Leto's child. Eheryn waited for the blow but it never came, rather a clanking and shattering of swords and the swish of arrows. Opening her eyes sharply, she saw Merrill, Aveline, Sebastian and Fenris himself fighting her captors. Knowing she was in no more danger she allowed herself the luxury of passing out.<p> 


End file.
